Authorities in Grant County are working to unravel a grim scene after a burned vehicle with a human body inside was discovered late Wednesday on a rural lane, following an OnStar alert that pulled deputies off their regular patrol and straight into a death investigation.
According to a post by the Grant County Sheriff's Office, Grant County 911 received an OnStar alert from a 2021 Chevrolet on May 27. Deputies traced the signal and found the vehicle roughly 375 feet southwest of 8320 East 852 South down an isolated lane. Firefighters from the Matthews and Upland volunteer fire departments put out the blaze, while Grant County EMS and the Fairmount Police Department assisted at the scene, the post states. Investigators said they located a human body in the driver's seat and noted that the car was registered out of Texas.
How deputies were led to the scene
By the time deputies reached the location, "the vehicle was fully engulfed in fire," the sheriff's post said, adding that the burned 2021 Chevrolet was found with a body in the driver's seat. The Grant County Sheriff's Office said detectives from its department, the Indiana State Fire Marshal's Office, a Marion Fire Department arson investigator and the Grant County Coroner's Office are handling the case. Officials stressed that the remains have not yet been identified and that the investigation is very much active.
Why the state fire marshal was called in
State fire investigators often assist local departments on suspicious or fatal fires to determine where a blaze started, recover evidence and test materials. The Fire Investigations Section is part of the Division of Fire and Building Safety at the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. IDHS notes that these teams are authorized to conduct technical examinations and coordinate closely with coroners and prosecutors. In this case, the Grant County coroner will oversee identification and cause-of-death determinations while detectives follow up on leads.
What investigators are asking
The sheriff's office has not released a name and is asking anyone with information to contact the Grant County Sheriff's Office. Investigators said updates will be shared when more details are available and after the coroner's office completes identification and other forensic testing.
